Tour Itinerary

Itinerary in brief :

Description	Overnight	Meals included	Interactive map
Day 1 : Hanoi – Arrival	Hotel	D
Day 2 : Hanoi – Bac Ha	Hotel	B ; L
Day 3 : Bac Ha – Can Cau – Sapa	Hotel	B ; L
Day 4 : Sapa – Cat Cat – Lao Chai – Ta Van	Homestay	B ; L ; D
Day 5 : Sapa – Tam Duong	Hotel	B ; L
Day 6 : Tam Duong – Muong So – Lai Chau	Hotel	B ; L ; D
Day 7 : Lai Chau – Pa Uon – Son La	Hotel	B ; L ; D
Day 8 : Son La – Xa Linh – Hang Kia	Homestay	B ; L ; D
Day 9 : Hang Kia – Cun Pheo	Homestay	B ; L ; D
Day 10 : Cun Pheo – Xam Khoe – Hoa Binh	Hotel	B ; L ; D
Day 11 : Hoa Binh – Hanoi	Hotel	B ; L
Day 12 : Hanoi -  Departure		B

Itinerary in detail :


Day 1: Arrival in Hanoi (D)

• Arrive at Noi Bai Airport. Pick up and transfer to a hotel. Hanoi, Vietnam's capital city, boasts tree-lined streets and centuries-old temples.
• An afternoon sightseeing tour features both cultural and historical highlights, comprising the Temple of Literature, the Ethnology Museum, the old quarters and a downtown pedicab ride (1 hour).
• Dinner in a local restaurant.
• Overnight in Hanoi.

• Spend the whole day on coach relishing the geographical diversity of Tonkin from Hanoito Bac Ha (320km) with rice fields in the Red River Delta, palm-tree hills in the midlands and pine forests on the limestone plateau of Bac Ha, home to the Flower H'mong tribe.
• There are opportunities to enjoy the friendliness of the Nung and Black Yao tribes en route.
• Overnight in Bac Ha.

Day 3: Bac Ha - Can Cau - Sapa (B, L)

• Leave for Can Cau (20km) via a winding road with breath-taking mountain views. Visit Can Cau Fair (on Saturday only) with thousands of Flower H'mong gathering and trading farm products and colourful clothing in natural surroundings. It is no doubt one of the most attractive places for photo hunters in Vietnam.
• Leave Can Cau by road for an interesting trip to Sapa (130km).
• Nestling on Mount Fansipan, Sapa offers spectacular scenery and is home to different hill-tribes.
• The evening entertainment is a tribal folk show at a bar.
• Dinner on your own.
• Overnight in Sapa.

• After breakfast at your hotel, trekking (2 hours) to the first village of the black H'mong (Catcat), walk around to visit villagers and the hydroelectric power station built by the French in the old days.
• Have lunch in a restaurant.
• In the afternoon, take the path along the valley between mountains to get to Laochai village (4 hours of trek).
• Enjoy the panorama of villages among terraces.
• Visit H'mong people living in wooden and bamboo houses.
• Continue going to Tavan village to visit the Dzay minority.
• Dinner at the home-stay.
• Overnight in Tavan village at a Dzay family.

Day 5: Sapa - Tam Duong (B, L)

• The morning is leisure to wander around Sapa Fair (on Sunday only) with hundreds of Black H'mong and Red Yao gathering.
• Socialize with the tribesmen and enjoy bargaining for unique souvenirs.
• Lunch in a local restaurant.
• Travel on a winding road to Tam Duong (70km) across Hoang Lien Son, the highest pass in Vietnam (2,047 metres).
• Dinner on your own.
• Overnight in Tam Duong.

• Leave for Lai Chau (130km) via a picturesque road along the Nam Na River.
• Stop by Muong So Fair (on Monday only), rarely visited by travellers, with throngs of H'mong, Day, Yaoand Thai coming and going merrily in their distinctive traditional costumes.
• Lunch en route.
• Admire the beautiful Lai Ha Suspension Bridge and Hang Tom Suspension Bridge near Lai Chau Town.
• Dinner in a local restaurant.
• Overnight in Lai Chau.

• Enjoy a boat ride down to Pa Uon (7 hours). View the spectacular scenery of the gorges on the Da River.
• With precipitous cliffs towering over river sides and hill-tribe villages (Black Thai, Xa, White H'mong) scattered on sandy bank, the boat trip ranks among the best in Vietnam. Have picnic lunch en route. Onwards to Son La (65km).
• Overnight in Son La.

Day 8: Son La - Xa Linh - Hang Kia (B, L, D)

• Leave for Xa Linh (120km) via a scenic road past Black Thai villages and lush rice field valleys.
• Have lunch at a Black H'mong home at Xa Linh. Trek to Hang Kia (8km), a Red H'mong hamlet. H'mong people used to be well-known for planting poppy trees, but now live on brocade weaving and cereal cultivation. Majestic mountains and the simple lifestyle of the locals amaze all tastes.
• Have dinner at a Red H'mong home at Hang Kia.
• Overnight at the homestay.

• Travel down to Cun Pheo (15km), a picturesque Muong hamlet, via a trekking trail over forested mountains and through villages with houses-on-stilts among rice and corn fields.
• Have picnic lunch en route.
• In the evening, stroll around the hamlet with torches to get to know the activities of Muong people at night time.
• Share dinner and accommodation at a local home at Cun Pheo.

• Continue to trek to Xam Khoe (7km) on a trail through peaceful villages and lush rice fields. Xam Khoe is home to the White Thai tribe whose girls boast soft manners and most graceful costumes.
• Stop at a local home for lunch.
• Transfer to Hoa Binh by car (90km).
• Enjoy a tribal folk show performed at a traditional house-on-stilts. Overnight in Hoa Binh.

• Leave for Hanoi (75km) via a pleasant road. The rest of the day is leisure for personal pursuits in Hanoi.
• The evening entertainment is a water puppet show, a theatrical genre reflecting the agricultural civilization of thousands of years ago.
• Dinner on your own.
• Overnight in Hanoi.

• Spend last minutes for downtown shopping (ceramics, silver-carvings, silk,...) or at leisure before check-out.
• Transfer to the airport for departure.

Price include

1. Transfer by private air-conditioned vehicle
2. English speaking guide
3. Accommodation in twin or double shared rooms including breakfasts and overnight at homestay.
4. Boat for cruise.
5. Entrance fees
6. Lunches and dinners (L/D) mentioned
7. Government taxes (VAT, etc.)

Price exclude

1. Personal expenses and all services not clearly mentioned, etc.
2. Travel insurance.
3. Beverage, tips, etc.